5 Signs of Being Burnt Out

We all put in the effort to do our best at work. However, some of us may even go above and beyond, such as working till midnight hours, taking on impossible deadlines or even working the weekends. All of this comes at the expense of our own health and can ultimately lead to a burnout.

‘Burnout’ is a common buzzword in a work environment but it means more than just feeling tired. Mayo Clinic describes it as "a state of physical, emotional, or mental exhaustion, combined with doubts about your competence and the value of your work." If left unchecked, burnout can be destructive to your overall health, happiness, relationships and job performance.

Here are five warning signs that indicate you are on the path to burning out or, in case you have not noticed, are burnt out already.

1. HAVE TROUBLE CONCENTRATING

If you have reached the point where you are struggling to focus on your regular tasks, then you are facing a burnout. Lack of concentration can lead to risks of missing deadlines or making critical mistakes that could affect your work performance.

2. HAVE NOTHING CREATIVE TO CONTRIBUTE

Cannot remember when was the last time you did something creative or used a different approach? It probably is because you are in the midst of a burnout. You feel your creative output will not be valued and hence there is no use of it.

3. INCREASED PESSIMISM & IRRITABILITY

This is when you begin to see your glass as half empty. You begin to feel negative towards your work and that there is no point in accomplishing anything anymore. Just thinking about your work makes you irritable and fills you up with negative emotions.

4. PHYSICAL & EMOTIONAL EXHAUSTION

Feeling tired all the time? A hallmark sign of a burnout is when you find it hard to get off our bed in the morning. Exhaustion can be emotional, mental or physical. It’s the sense of not having any energy, purpose or motivation. At a more serious stage, you can suffer from chronic anxiety, feeling of helplessness and depression.

5. PHYSICAL PROBLEMS

These may include heart palpitations, chest pain, gastrointestinal pain, dizziness and increased headaches. You may also suffer from insomnia and loss of appetite or unhealthy eating habits due to the work pressure and stress. Burnouts can weaken your immune system making you more vulnerable to colds, flu and viral infections

See also: Finding the Sweet Spot of Work-life Balance

References

https://www.forbes.com/sites/learnvest/2013/04/01/10-signs-youre-burning-out-and-what-to-do-about-it/#10fc2e0625b4

https://www.verywellmind.com/stress-and-burnout-symptoms-and-causes-3144516

https://medium.com/call-me-a-theorist/how-to-know-if-you-are-burned-out-4e3bf894e7a2

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/high-octane-women/201311/the-tell-tale-signs-burnout-do-you-have-them

https://www.worktolive.info/blog/bid/357306/the-7-signs-of-burnout

https://www.themuse.com/advice/3-questions-to-help-you-decide-if-youre-having-a-bad-week-or-about-to-burn-out

https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/7932-create-better-work-environment.html

https://psychcentral.com/blog/5-ways-to-cope-with-burnout/

The above articles are intended for informational purposes only. AIA accepts no responsibility for loss, which may arise from reliance on information contained in the articles.